Love is a strong word and used to show a deep adoration, fondness, affection, attachment, and sometimes even a strange obsession for someone or something. So yes the word love is a big word. Some people like to hand out the word love like Michelle hands out gummy bears and skittles to small children, but it's not a word to just be said about anyone or anything. It should be saved for special people, special occasions, all at the opportune moment and right time. So with that all being said…
My name is Alexis Kaufusi. And I love Food.
This is probably the truest statement I’ve said in a long time. I love food. Without a doubt in my mind. I don’t understand how people can just not love food.
1. Food makes me happy
2. Food makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside
3. Food is always there and never talks back
4. Food is dependable and guaranteed to make me smile
I could go on and on for days about the reason as as to why I love food but I think you get the idea. I’m that person who wakes up at 3:00am because I’m hungry and craving an omelette. I’m that person who would drive 45 minutes from Provo to Salt Lake to get Chipotle. And I’m that person who when I travel I immediately Google to see if there are any restaurants in the city that were on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. Yes I am a bit of a fatty I can’t help it. But as my father always says,
“I would much rather die fat and full of yummy delicious food than die skinny wishing I had ate that piece of apple pie.”
I find that as a great motto to live by. Now a few years ago I discovered I had this stupid intolerance to gluten. Did that hold me back from loving and eating food??? Absolutely not. If anyone knows me they know I clearly love food and I love to travel. So without further adieu… Here are my top 5 favorite restaurants. Ever.
#1: Wahoos Tacos; Laguna, CA
Oh my goodness… We all know I love tacos. They are the staple to my diet and I could eat them everyday with ease. Finding a good fish taco in the state of Utah is a little difficult sometimes considering we are land locked and the fish isn’t all that fresh. So if you ever find yourself in Laguna wander over to Laguna main and get yourself some Wahoos! My favorites are the grilled fish tacos or the carne asada tacos, along with a side of chicken tortilla soup. Don't forget the chips and salsa and guac too! Now their fish tacos are the best. They use Mahi-Mahi but you can also get salmon. I love both grilled to be honest. Their tacos are amazing 2 is so not enough so just plan on getting 3-4. The food is light, fresh, yet so comforting. Something about tacos and a bowl of warm chicken tortilla soup after a long day at the beach just makes your life 100% better than it was before. Apparently there are some Wahoos in Vegas and some in Colorado… Currently thinking about driving to either locations…
#2: Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana; West Hartford, CT
So once upon a time I went to Connecticut and got to watch the American Conference Tournament aka UCONN Women’s Basketball.. While I was there I was privileged enough to get to partake of the best pizza I’ve ever had in my freaking life. For me, I’m over American pizza. The thick crust, the obscenely ridiculous amount of cheese… No thank you. It's heavy and just not all that appetizing. While I was in Italy I fell in love with thin crust traditional Italian pizza where the sauce to cheese ratio favors the sauce. There’s a restaurant in Salt lake called Setebello that always was my favorite thin crust pizza, but then I tried Frank Pepe’s. Talk about mind blowing experience. I just got, well you know, an original pizza. Tomato sauce, mozzarella, some basil. The typical margherita pizza. Best pizza I’ve ever had in my life. First they bring the pizza out on a big tray, yes they're that big. Then you take a bite and the tomato sauce is fresh, the cheese is melted all the way through, and the crust is thin yet crispy. So, wander up to the New England area, find a Frank Pepe’s and treat yourself to the best pizza you’ll ever have. 
Look at this. My hometown making a showing with the good food! So I actually first heard of Lucky 13 while reading a Buzzfeed or something like that’s post about some of the best burgers around and fancy that, Salt Lake City, UT had one of the burger joints. So I made my way to Lucky 13. It's this little dive looking bar next to the baseball stadium in downtown Salt Lake City and well, their burgers and heavenly. Before you even devour your burger, do yourself a favor and first order some chips and salsa. Why? Because everyone loves some good chips and salsa as your pre-meal snack! Now my personal favorite burger is The Real Double. Double meat, double the cheese. The trick is to get it with Swiss cheese. I’m not a huge cheddar person and the Swiss just adds a different level of taste. Now Lucky 13 has all kinds of burgers. They have one that has peanut butter one it, one that's a foot tall. Yes a foot tall aka 12 inches. They also have a burger that's between two grilled cheese and even a burger challenge. You finish the foot tall burger along with the grilled cheese bun burger (also smothered in some habaneros) with a side of fries all in one hour and you get $200 and the food is completely free as well. So, if huge burgers are what you crave head to Lucky 13 in the 801 and prepare your stomach to be so full but so happy all at the same time.
#4: Pine State Biscuits; Portland, OR
For anyone who knows my family knows that the Kaufusi kids love egg sandwiches. Steve has made us egg sandwiches since we were kids and now that we are all grown up we make our own with our own little twists. Example: I always add chicken sausage to my eggs and top it with some avocado. Corbin sometimes puts peanut butter and jelly between 6 egg stacks. The bottom line, I love egg sandwiches. Steve always has been the front runner of the egg sandwich race until I went to Pine State Biscuits. While wandering Portland I stumbled upon this place and fell in love. Now don’t waste your time getting anything but the Reggie Deluxe. It's fried chicken, bacon, cheese, and an egg all between this heavenly biscuit. The biscuit is what really does it for me. They’re homemade and just really make a difference for that egg sandwich. But it gets better. All that delightful press stuffed between a homemade biscuit is now covered in gravy. If you’re still hungry after your Reggie Deluxe then you need to order some of their blueberry corn meal pancakes. Now they do have other yummy options but just get the Reggie Deluxe and some pancakes and be ready to have the best breakfast sandwich of your life.
#5: Wailua Bakery; Haleiwa, HI
Now anytime I go to Hawaii, this little place is a MUST!! You all need to go. Right now. It's a cute little shop in Haleiwa and be prepared to want to buy and eat everything. I think I spent a solid $30 just for myself last time I was here. First of all everything is homemade and fresh. It's super healthy (for those of us trying to eat better) and it's so refreshing. So whenever I go I always get the bakery club. It has turkey, cheese, Wailua avocado, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and sprouts. ITS AMAZING! And it's huge. This isn’t some dinky turkey sandwich. It's a hefty sandwich! Along with my sandwich I always get a min Acai bowl. It comes with homemade granola, organic honey, shredded coconut, and homegrown bananas all on top of some Acai sorbet. Now you must also try the following at one point of another: A Hot Hunk of Bread. It's $3 and you get a slice of their fresh hot bread with butter. I always get honey on mine. Also try their cookie ice cream sandwich. It's the best you’ll have. Lastly, you have to get their Banana Bread Pudding. Talk about the best bread pudding you will ever have and its homemade with fresh bananas grown right in Haleiwa. I know this all sounds too good to be true, but it's not. Go to the North Shore. Go to Wailua Bakery and check it out for yourself. It's the #2 reason I love going to Hawaii besides the ocean. Now I know that's 5 different restaurants... but I have to add in a surprise plus one feature to this list. Think if it like when you're preggers and you find out you're having twins instead of just 1 baby. This is that extra surprise and you're just so happy! So, I covered the basics but I forgot dessert. Now dessert is a very important part of any meal. And sometimes as normal human beings we can't help it but get those sugary cravings. So here is my favorite stop for desserts:
#6: Clark's Island Donuts; Utah County/SLC County, UT
Now Clark's Island Donuts is this orange food truck ran by the Clark family. It used to be parked in Provo on 900 E. and I would find myself always going here to get donuts. It then moved to Center St. in Orem. Everyday on my way to basketball I would drive by and of course stop and get one. These little donuts are a piece of heaven covered in sugar. There's the regular non-filled donuts that you can get covered in sugar or cinnamon and sugar. Or there's filled donuts that can be filled with cream, or coconut, or chocolate, or whatever flavor they have at the time. Coming from donut expert Miss Carlie McCall, she claims these are the best donuts she's ever had. Carlie is my friend who travels a ton working for ESPN and who has had every donut and been to every donut shop there is in this country and she agrees, Clark's Island Donuts are the BEST donuts ever! Lately they're parked at the Soho Food Park up in Holladay, UT so make sure you check them out. Your mouth deserves the greatness that comes with these donuts.
So as I’ve been doing this blog I have gotten quite hungry. As pathetic as it is yes my mouth is currently salivating and I just want some of everything I’ve talked about. Now I love food. Food has a way of bringing people together and making potentially awkward social situations not nearly as awkward. And it tastes amazing. Don’t forget, it's better to die fat and full of yummy food than regretting you didn’t eat that dessert that one time. Anyways, people who love to eat food really are the best kind of people.
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